National Republican., 1887-07-26
wARn1NeEhAcEs
Criminals Produced by Contact OF Mex
leans ana Americans.


leans ana Americans.
compiled from Hubert Howe Bancroft's Popu.
lar Tribunals, Vol IL
Cattle and hogses roamed at large In Cali
fornla when the stars and stripes were
raised here, and the native population could
hardly realize that II was wrong to steal
them. They had been accustomed TO catch
and saddle almost any horse running at
large 1t was considered the proper tLingto
return tho horse or leave an-
other IN its stead, but the
owners Of ranches were rarely
particular about q horse or two more or
less. But such ideas were radically op-
posed by the Americans, VINO at once ln-
posed severe penalties for this crime. Said
au old Mexican about to be executed by
the vigilance committee OF San Jose for
stealing horses: "My countrymen, you
must all leave here: 1t is no longer fit
place for YOU"
A few years earlier at San Jose two His
pano.C Caliiornians, father and son, were ar
rested for cattle stealing. The settlers col
lected, tried and convicted them, and SEN
fenced them TO receive twenty-six lasnes
each. The old mans head was white and
his body bent with age. But the son was
manly fellow, athletic, straight as a
forest tree, in the full vigor Of manhood,
having bold carriage and an un(linchinv
eye. When Judgment was pronounced he
arose and asked one favor of his judges.
Personally, he said, he would not deign to
ask for any mitigation Of the sentence. Bat
for bis father, that poor old man, surely
pity might be shown. Surely II they were
sons themselves they would let him take
the whole punishment for both, and let his
father go untouched. The sons proposi-
tion was considered by the tribunal. Tney
decided to remit the sentence Of the father,
and to hand him over to the legal authori-
ties. And they declined to take advantage
of the sons proposal and double his pun
ishment. Subsequently when the father'e
case came to trial IN the court 1t was dis
covered when examination was made with
| greater deliberation and fuller cognizance
of the facts, that the sentence OF his first
| prosecutors was dlsproportionate to his
crime, and he was released with a fine OF
| only So.
The summary methods OF the incoming
| Americans were bitterly resented by the
| mild-mannered natives, and soon drove
many Of them into lives OF crime. Indeed,
In Monterey, one OF the oldest towns OF
California, IL is said that by actual count
| slxty-three murders were committed during
three years, without one judicial execu-
| tion. Bullets flew ut the unguarded passer
| from solitary thickets, and even from the
houses Of the town. Mail riders were shot
so frequently that the service went beg
| gipg. Nor did the members Of the Monte
| rey vigilance committee find themselves
\ placed in profitable or pleasing position
by their efforts at social publication. For
when they hanged villain twenty others
| watched the haDgman aud swore vengeance
More than one member Of the association
died violent death.
| Such a state Of affairs Is the excuse for
the course pursued with Spaniard named
Anastasia who had been convicted Of one
murder and had confessed to another. By
| jury composed Of equal numbers OF Amerl-
| cans and Mexicans be was condemned to
death for killing a Mexican sheep-herder.
This victim, who was an old mau, had been
| shot twelve times and his skull had been
broken. Two days before the date of the
execution q document arrived from the
governor, respitlng Anastasia Jesus from
| death for several days. But here evidently
was blunder in the name, for the only
prisoner In the Monterey Jail under SEN
tenoe of death was Jose Anastasia. The
sheriff naturally concluded that the respite
was intended for him. But a different
view Of the matter was taken by the under
| sheriff; melted and sustained by large
number Of the most influential inhabitants,
he held that the error in the name was fatal
to the legality of the reprieve, and that uu-
less the execution were carried out on the
specified day Jose Auastasia would proba-
bly, escape punishment altogether. The un-
der sheriff therefore assumed the responsi-
bility Of proceeding with the execution, and
the prisoner was duly hanged. This Is
called the first legal execution In Monterey
county under American rule, but In the
| minds Of many there remained q doubt
| whether it was legal.